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Sheriff James Lewis
James "Jim" Henry Lewis (1912- March 2010), was the Sheriff of Lee County, Missouri from his election in 1951, to his retirement in 1980. He was known throughout the state as being a good sheriff. Early Life James H. Lewis was born on a small farm outside the town of McClearington in southern Missouri in early 1912. In 1929, "Jim" graduated high school early and enlisted in the United States Army. During the severe drought in the Midwest and Southern United States, in the 1930s, he took leave to come home and help on the farm. In 1941, when the United States entered World War II, Jim Lewis, then a First Sergeant in the Army, volunteered for Parachute School, and joined the newly created 82nd Airborne Division. Jim went over seas in late 1942, and saw action in Sicily, Italy, France, Holland, and Germany. He was discharged from the Army in July of 1945, at the rank of Master Sergeant. He returned home, and became a Deputy Sheriff for Sheriff Jack Randolph. Sheriff of Lee County When Sheriff Randolph decided to retire in 1950, the Sheriff's election of 1951 became one of the largest in the county's history. There was Jim Lewis, as well as two other Democratic Candidates, Orville Hames, and Hilt Johnson. All three of them were strong Conservative candidates. Due to his recent military service, and youth opposed to the others, who were both in their late 50s, Jim Lewis won the election with 64% of the Popular vote. Jim Lewis had been the youngest elected sheriff in Lee County history, at 39 years old. Jim Lewis was known to be an honest sheriff, and was re-elected 7 times in 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1974, and 1978. He was known to a be a fierce Anti-Communist, and Anti-Socialist and busted many gangs and crime organizations within his county. In 1980, after 29 years as Sheriff, Jim Lewis retired as Lee County Sheriff, and he passed away in 2010. Political Views Jim Lewis was raised a Conservative Southern Democrat, as were most people in the South. In 1948, he supported South Carolina Governor J. Strom Thurmond as president, who was running as a "Dixiecrat", as opposed to Missouri native Harry S. Truman. Lewis ran as a Democrat for sheriff in 1950, and 1954. However, in the late 1940s and early 1950s, Jim Lewis became more distrustful of the Democratic Party, due to their increases in liberalism and ultimately switched sides to Republican when he ran for re-election in 1958. Prior to 1958, he stayed a Democrat, as the conservative southern democrats were still in control. He supported General Dwight Eisenhower as President in 1952. He voted Republican in every election after that, except for the 1968 election, in which he supported Alabama Governor George Wallace, who was running as an "American Independent." Jim Lewis held very staunch segregationist views, as did most people in his county. As Sheriff, he tried his best to halt integration until the Federal Government intervened in 1965. Personal Life Jim Lewis loved spending time hunting, fishing, and spending time with his wife and kids, and liked hunting with his bloodhounds. He enjoyed the game of football, and watched every game he could. He was also a member of the McClearington Lutheran Church, the American Legion Post 139, and Freemasons, McClearington Chapter.